


Merry and Bright

by Ericine



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Hair, Intimacy, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Pre-Relationship, Sparkles, warmth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-28 07:10:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16718740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ericine/pseuds/Ericine
Summary: "I spoon you into my coffee cup, spin you through a delicate wash, I wear you all day, I wear you all day"Warm moments that shine.





	Merry and Bright

**Author's Note:**

  * For [phantomunmasked](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomunmasked/gifts), [Regency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Regency/gifts).



> I've been pretty down in the dumps for months, so I'm trying to feel better. I'm using [this list of prompts](http://mylittleredgirl.tumblr.com/post/170473549381/nonsexual-acts-of-intimacy-send-me-a-pairing-and) from Tumblr, and I've challenged myself to add a sparkly element to each one.
> 
> Summary lyrics are from Lisa Hannigan's "Ocean and a Rock," which is really the feel I'm going for: warm, sparkly, just-in-time-for-the-holidays fun. <3 
> 
> =======
> 
> Day 1 Prompt: one character playing with the other’s hair (set after Where We Belong)

A round of doubles (give or take) later, post-shift drinks has slid into the fragmented portion of the evening - people slip away momentarily to the loo, to quieter corners to send longer text messages that require concentration. Something moves out of the corner of Serena’s eye, and then Bernie’s at her elbow with the gentlest of smirks.

“We could do the thing, you know.”

Bernie’s good at that, Serena notes. It’s not a busy night at Albie’s, but there’s a healthy buzz in the air. Bernie seems to have a talent for preserving privacy in loud places, a whispered secret in a schoolyard.

Serena turns her head. “The thing?”

“Pop in the loo together, take an inordinate amount of time while we talk about - I don’t know. Interesting things. While we look in the mirror and pretend to fix our hair.”

“Ah, the thing. The teenage thing.”

“Teenagers have perfect hair,” Bernie shrugs. “That’s why they have to pretend to fix it.”

Serena turns the rest of the way around, grinning. “Remind me to tell you about the time my daughter fell asleep and managed to overbleach her hair. Bargain bottle monstrosity. It got to her scalp.”

Bernie grimaces. “Burning? Peeling?”

“The bottles come with instructions. Why would anyone ever need to read them?” At Bernie’s laughter, Serena sets her drink on the counter. “She also didn’t buy enough of it. It was a rough–”

When she turns back around again, Bernie’s got a prompting smile on her face, but her eyes are on Bernie’s temple, on the flash that had caught her eye once again.

Before she can think, she’s raising her hand to capture the spark in the gold waves. “Sorry–”

“Hm?”

But Serena’s easily pulled the glimmering streamer toward her. She holds it up for Bernie to see, then lets it flutter down to the counter.

Bernie frowns. “How long’s that been in there?” Then she laughs, reaches her hand up and runs it through the rest of her hair, checking. “Wouldn’t be the strangest thing I’ve pulled out of my hair after my shift.”

“Actually–” Serena makes a show of reaching for the locks again, taking the time to smooth her fingers through the short silk. The light plays across it quite prettily from this angle.

Bernie’s eyes widen.

“I’m kidding. You’re fine.”

Bernie rolls her eyes, but then they’re swept up into some other activity then - singing’s begun for some reason on the other side of the bar. They end up not speaking again, but when Serena dreams, it’s of dawn’s light on water.


End file.
